Barn Burner

Love The Game

by Jodi Oliver

I’ve ridden a Zamboni, but never a cowboy…

Missing out on my first Stanley Cup has left me more torn up than I expected. It was in my sights. So close, I could almost touch it.

With my brother back in England, I’m facing nothing but an empty house and my thoughts, and there’s only two ways to soothe my mind:

The ice and nature.

But when I pack up my car and head out into the Alberta wilderness, my bad luck lands me in the reluctant hands of a grumpy cowboy with a perpetual scowl.

I shouldn’t get involved with Jesse.

His life is the ranch, whereas my life is hockey.

So why do I allow myself to fall for him so hard?

And why do I keep my real identity a secret?
I live for barn burners, but this is one I might not survive.

Barn Burner is book three in the Love the Game sports shared world, featuring books from Willow Thomas, Becca Steele, EM Denning, Becca Seymour, Becca Jackson, EM Lindsey, and Cora Rose.

Genres: M M Romance, Hockey, Sports, Westerns, Sports Romance, Romance, Forced Proximity

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2025

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ(Dramione obsessed rn) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5***** stars

Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy

dang! these fucking cowboys. they just do it for me every time.

and god Jesse (said cowboy) and Brayden (the young NHL star) were not only so hot with each other but also the yearning and the sweetness and the genuine feelings… it all just poured off the pages. overall just such an awesome feel-good book.

And the way he picked me up and carried me to his bed as if I didn’t weigh 190 pounds? Dream man. Right there. If I could take him with me back to the city, I’d start planning our wedding.

this is my first time reading this author and i’m so glad that i already had two others on my tbr i can get to very soon.

***********
Love The Game Multi-Author Series

Book 1 - Offside Play
Book 2 - Barn Burner - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - The Poster Boy - tbr
Book 4 - Full Tilt
Book 5 - Puck Shots - tbr
Book 6 - Top Shelf
Book 7 - Play With Me

[~ Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ & semicolons ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author just isn't for me. Oliver's writing is sooo clunky, like a scratchy wool sweater that keeps reminding you it's there.

A few examples:

Not long got back from a trail ride. We're out again at two.

I think that sentence is missing a word or three?

The sound of his deep rumble pulls me out of my reverent thoughts, and I snap my gaze to see those icy blue eyes are watching me.

Oh, this sentence is working overtime to be horny and profound at the same time.

Deep rumble Girl, is he a man or a malfunctioning washing machine?

I snap my gaze Why is looking at a man described like a military maneuver?

The whole sentence has the energy of: “His voice was a bass-boosted Ford engine, and his eyes were two frozen lakes. Naturally, I was overcome with religious devotion.”

It does nothing but throw fuel on the lustful fire I have for this guy.

Ma’am, just say you want to fuck him.

All I can do is nod ... unable to tear my eyes off the man who is quite possibly the most incredible man I've ever met.

What was the sample size? Two men? Four?

Pivoting to nonsensical plot points:

"Hey, son did I ever tell you the story about how me and your mom met?"

"No, I don't think you have."

REALLY?? Not once in 36 years?

Not only is he in the top five greatest hockey players of his generation ....

And yet not a single person on this Canadian ranch brimming with hockey fans recognized him. I barely watch any sports, and I'd still recognize Connor McDavid if he walked into a room.

Also, Brayden lies to everyone by omission. When Jesse asks him what he does, he says he's "in athletics." That's like Bezos saying he owns an online shop. And Jesse's all, "Makes sense." No follow-up questions though? And no one is mad about this when they see Brayden on TV??

Jesse and Brayden hang for a couple weeks before they're promising each other forever. One of those weeks is off page, so we don't actually see them bonding. We do see them fucking though, so there's that.

Jesse wants someone who's going to stay. He knows Brayden is going to leave like any second but throws caution to the wind.

I'm not even going to get into the gay utopia that is Oliver's fictional NHL. Brayden finds out that Jesse broke his arm and forgets how to play hockey. He loses his shit completely, but the coach and team just pat him on the back and sing kumbaya.

Then Brayden retires at age 30 at the peak of his career for reasons*.

*Reasons (reenactment):

Brayden: “I've achieved everything I've ever wanted professionally.”
Jesse: “You could come live on my ranch.”
Brayden: “Holy shit. You're right. Fuck hockey.”
NHL: “You are 30.”
Brayden: “Exactly. Basically elderly.”

Extra star for the horses and sheep.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm.
Not bad, but it (sadly) didn't blow me away like it did nearly everyone else.
I started taking notes after a while, (and that's never a good sign) so here are my random thoughts.

Insta lust between two attractive men (Brayden, NHL player, 24 years, and Jesse, cowboy, 36 years). They dance around each other for a while (a week?), then give in to their attraction and fall in love through fucking.
Not everything made sense, like Jesse supposedly being a man of few words but if Brayden hadn't reminded me again and again, I would never have guessed because Jesse talked just fine. Or Jesse supposedly working 18-hours days, 7 days a week, but on page he's always chilling with Brayden (good for him, though!). Or Brayden cooking a meal for Jesse's family after being with them for few days, but no he didn't ask, no he didn't know how to cook but his mum explained everything on the phone, and yes it was delicious. Lol. Or Jesse's family's cook who's mentioned the first time around 75% but in a way like she had always been around and part of their everyday life?

Most conversations about their lives and what mattered to them were off page, sex on the other hand wasn't. I would have preferred it the other way around.

Very cheese writing ("My name is a hymn falling from his lips", "We will win this game for him"...ahhh why).
Too much focus on sex (for me). And I know now that I don't need to read "save a horse, ride a cowboy" (or possible variations of it) more than once in a novel.

But. They were sweet together and perfect for each other.

[Анастасія ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

в цій серії не пронумеровано як читати, але можна вважати, що це 2 книжка, бо тут події відбуваються майже одночасно з історією джуда та коді, і був натяк на третю пару про марека та джея.

отже, тут в нас хокеїст, який загнався трішки в депресію, бо вони програли кубок стенлі, і брейден вирішив все кинути та піти в похід, але не все так просто і він глохне в місцині, яка непопулярна у інших, але його рятує джессі - ковбой 🤠 чесно, я не очікувала пару хокеїст та ковбой, бо це якось максимально далеко один від одного, і шанси зустрітися у них ну дуже малі, але тут ось воно як.

ця історія мені більше сподобалась ніж перша, тут була і любляча родина, і підтримуючи друзі, не було отих моментів, на які очі можна закатити, так, був моментик під кінець, який змушував хвилюватися "а що ж воно буде", але все вийшло добре.

тут було ранчо, і були коні(логічно 😂), трішки більше би хотілось оцих прогулянок з ними.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet romance between NHL hockey player Brayden and cowboy Jesse. Brayden is escaping reality after losing the Stanley Cup final and Jesse is guarding his heart because no one ever wants to stay on the ranch or understand his lifestyle.

Jesse being the most romantic little marshmallow yet also the closed off, growly mountain man made him a really interesting character. I loved the dates he took Brayden on and how supportive he was of basically anything Brayden wanted to do. I'm also curious about his brothers though and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they might have stories also!

Brayden was on a journey of self-discovery after feeling lost and even his family knew that he'd found the place for him as soon as he showed them where he was! I would have liked to see more of his family though because his parents don't appear at all, and Jude and Cody only appear by text or video call. I kinda thought there was a nice moment where all of them could have met because the Premiership season would have been over, but nothing materialised so that was a little disappointing. I prefer a bit more crossover when character's are shared between books.

*****
I received an ARC of this book from The Author Agency, and this is my honest review

[Sjoukje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy boring story. I think this could have been a lot better. Many of the emotions feel off page. And the story feels like a story a teenager would write, because the details don’t add up at all. And then all the wonderful coincidences… It was just very easy writing.

Please stop reading if you don’t want spoilers!


When the book starts, Braeden already lost the championship and has suffered from the (ridiculous but probably not unrealistic) media backlash. He apparently has no common sense because he decides to go camping by himself in bear country (which is less than an hour from his home, so how could he not know that?) Luckily for him his car breaks down so this handsome cowboy can save him. They hit it off almost instantly and what do you know 4 weeks have passed while he waits for the spare parts for his car. Again: he lives just 1 hour away, so he could have gone home, but he doesn’t and nobody minds. Nobody ever asks him where he’s from and what he actually does for a living? And they’re all great hockey fans but somehow don’t know his name (although their team apparently made it to the Stanley cup finals and he was supposed to be the no 1 player of the team?)
At some point the car is fixed, right at the moment Braeden needs to go back to training camp. He and Jesse call every but hockey is never mentioned. Jesse’s family finds out on tv.
And of course Jesse doesn’t mention this to him, he just goes to the next game, and then to a bar where -of course- Braeden walks in with his friends. Since there are only 5 bars in Calgary and they just knew which one to pick.

Also: Braeden has a brother who is with his grumpy team mate (about which we can read in another book, but let’s not). He’s also a professional athlete. No parents are ever mentioned (except one scene where Braeden cooks a restaurant worthy meal although he admits he can’t really cook but he gets some pointers from his mom so this is no problem). And then at the end of the book Braeden and Jesse make a calculation of how many years Braeden should hockey for him to be able to buy his parents a house. Where do they live? Do they need a house? How about the superstar brother? Not to mention the off page but apparently very easy contract negotiations. Next season he wins the Stanley cup, they kiss but the cameras don’t pick up on that because Jesse holds his cap in front of their faces and his brothers are there. Braeden kisses a man on the ice right after winning the cup by scoring a hat trick and the media who were so mean to him last year don’t pay attention. What? Yeah.

Also: apparently Jesse’s family has a chef who cooks for them on a daily basis. We don’t meet her until about 90%, but Braeden knows all about her and wants to order some rolls from her. Earlier in the book he cooks the family a huge complicated meal, she wasn’t there and no one mentioned her either. Why not just let Jesse’s mom be the great cook? Or even better, his dad?
And Braeden knows how to ride a horse. He’s not allowed as professional athlete but he has no problem doing it. In bear country. (So he’s either very talented or very stupid, because horseback riding is not easy, especially not for hours, outside of the rink when there can be dangerous animals around. Even if you’re with a well trained professional.)

Hm, I guess I just told you the whole book. Sorry. 😬🤣 Or you’re welcome. I don’t think it’s a book worth a lot of time. I’ve read way better books by this author. Maybe she was in a hurry while writing this.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of times I said “ok just one more chapter” while reading this. It was super cute and good. The ending too 🥹🥹. I think I’ll go back and read the first book about the brother now too.

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way Jodi Oliver writes because - while her stories are always an easy read - that doesn't mean they have simple plots.

On the contrary, she often tackles issues within a sporting setting that have serious impact on the characters she's creating and, while things never descend into complete angst and depression, she still allows the reader to see the effects.

Here she gives us a 24-year-old British ice hockey player with amazing records who's been sold to a new team in the hope of winning the Stanley Cup.

When that doesn't happen, he's turned upon by press and fans alike and the weight of that crushing disappointment is evident from the start of this story.

For Brayden, escaping Calgary and the noise of his failure is the only option he sees and, when he breaks down on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere, his dejection is complete and the weight of the world becomes almost unbearable.

The arrival of a dusty red truck with a genuine cowboy, hat and all, brings a spark of both life and attraction and a chance to just forget who he is as Jesse offers Brayden a place to stay while his brother fixes his car.

I absolutely loved Jesse, and his family, the ranch setting is a perfect refresh for Brayden, being treated just for who he is, not what he represents, as they have no idea who he is, brings him peace and a sense of self-confidence.

This book is ridiculously hot, and also very swoony, because once Jesse gets over his fears that Brayden will want to change him, or want him to leave the ranch which is at the centre of all he is, the romance levels tick up into sunset picnics, long horse trails and discussions about life.

Of course, time is limited, the part for the car arrives, and it's repaired and, ultimately, Brayden has to return to Calgary and his team. But for a month, he's been able to escape the pressures and fall in love with an older guy who is kindness personified.

I loved the way the story develops from this point on, it's not an easy ride, both men make commitments they know will result in long times spent apart, but you get the sense that each is willing to make the short-term sacrifices for the long-term rewards.

And they do, it's a really wonderful romance, although it's in an author-shared world, I can't say I felt like there was a wider setting though. Brayden's brother Jude and one of his teammates are the subject of book one, but I haven't read that and didn't feel like I missed anything.

#ARC kindly received from the author via The Author Agency, I am voluntarily leaving a review

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one so much, it was such a fun read. The chemistry between Brayden and Jesse was crazy hot right from the start, and these guys kept me hooked till the very end. This was a super sweet cowboy/hockey player, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, secret identity romance, and if those are your jam I highly recommend it!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and sweet, like a warm bath in the mountains with a nice view. It was just missing the tension, the will they/won’t they, any stakes at all really, for it to actually feel satisfying.

I’m glad it only half counts toward my self-imposed limit of 10 hockey romances in 2026 (one of them is a cowboy!)

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kind of getting the feel of what this series is like and so far I've read two highly rated installments and they aren't good (to me).

So, for this one I'll say it has two good main characters with a love story that should've been a banger, because it was all there - the hockey star, the growly cowboy, the sex, the family, the money, it all somehow magically came together, and still the author failed to deliver a good one.

🟣 A rancher / a NHL hockey player
🟢 Age gap 24/36
🔵 A random meet-cute
🟠 Gay/bisexual
🟡 Could be so much better
🌶️ Sex begins as very promising, soon there's a lot off-page until they get too boring; rimming, oral, penetrative; t/b

I actually liked Jesse and Brayden a lot, but their love story was terribly written.
They meet when Brayden’s car breaks down while he’s trying to hike and camp by the lakes and Jesse finds him and brings him back to the family ranch.
Brayden then waits a whole freaking month for the spare parts before heading back to Calgary.

Yeah, it’s ridiculous, he has the money to immediately leave, it's not like he has to wait for anything and his house isn’t that far away, but okay, he’s hiding from media scrutiny and no one knows he’s a hockey player. He likes Jesse and his home, so he’s trying to stretch this situation out for as long as he can. Fine, we'll believe it.



At first Jesse and Brayden have this intense, amazing chemistry where they're licking their lips a little too much, but again, fine, ill take it, because I loved Jesse, he’s a growly, hot cowboy with a dominant streak that, sadly, wasn’t nearly utilized enough. Those first on-page sex scenes were fantastic.

“What are you doing?” I ask curiously.
“Taking a moment to appreciate my breakfast.”
I swallow and lick over my lips. “W- what?”
He arches one thick brow as the corner of his lips kicks up. “Don’t you ever appreciate your meal before you eat, Brayden?”

Then the biggest downfall happens where the author skips a week during which Jesse and Brayden basically spend a lot of time together and develop their feelings for each other, probably wake up together, have sex all the time and do stuff around the ranch, but we don't get to experience any of it.

Another issue was how rushed the first half of the story felt, as if the author was quickly trying to create forever love without showing us much and Jesse also kind of slowly got lost in the story.

In the second half Brayden goes back to playing hockey, Jesse discovers that Brayden is a famous, successful player and from that point on their relationship becomes cheesy as hell. Not much happens besides a few meet ups and words of love and simping for Brayden and his hockey career.

The age gap worked, even though I would add about four more years to Brayden, he didn’t really sound like a 24-year old, more like a 27-28. But it still worked because Jesse was such a strong character, even though the author completely lost him by the end of the book.


I don't know if I should continue reading this series.

[Gabs (gaybism) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Can you breathe now?” I ask, hoping he’ll say yes.
A soft smile spreads across his face. He lifts his hand to hold the side of my face. His thumb traces my bottom lip before he stretches to press a gentle kiss to my mouth.
“Yeah, Jesse. I can breathe now.”

These two were adorable and just what I needed. Their chemistry was off the charts and Jesse’s one of the hottest cowboys I’ve ever read about.

Absolutely loved Brayden’s personality. He was such a sweetheart and he was so endearing.

Loved the communication and the way they expressed their feelings. Cuteness overload!

[read_romance.withgloria Gloria Worlikar · Rating 4 out of 5]

gahhh where can I get someone like Jesse ... He was perfect and this story was swoony and sweet at times ... Enjoyed it alot..

looking forward to other stories in this series

[Kim Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definetly got me more emotional than I'd thought it would 😭 these two MCs honestly handle the perfect amount of being sweet and being naughty with each other and I am here for that 😏

Brayden is a profi hockey player, but after a defeat he needs some time to process that. Jesse is like a grumpy but very charismatic cowboy, who saves the day after Brayden needs help.

Like I said before, I felt so much with these guys. Poor Brayden was so stressed out over everything and Jesse needed someone as well, so the fact that they found each other was like destiny 🥰

If you like your romance book with depth, yet spice, a fantastic chemistry between the MCs and hilarious chats between friends, you should definitely go and read this book 💕

[Crisana]

DNF. I tried but I'm not really feeling it. A lot of what happens does not make much sense and I keep getting distracted by other stuff.

[train · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0⭐️ | 3.0🌶️

-grumpy/sunshine
-hockey player x cowboy
-strict
-HEA

Wow! Jody Oliver, I wasn't familiar with your game. It's my first time reading one of her works, and it's honestly so heart-warming and genuine. Jess and Brayden's story is all about finding love and fighting for it until the end, while also not giving up their dreams. It's all about trust, commitment, and understanding of all the highs and the lows. Because if you finally find the right one, you are willing to not give it up despite the distance. I have so many highlights in this story, it amazes me because I never really highlight stories that much, but this story had so many lines that touched my heart. And again, I love hockey romances so much, and I can't wait until the release of the next installment of this series.

[Monikat · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy, homey, wholesome, contemporary romance with all the cute and sexy moments. Chaps, horses, hockey and happy tears.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been having a rough time lately and Barn Burner has been a bright spot for me these last few days. This book had it all. It was funny, sweet, spicy and it was (thankfully) low angst. I loved how Brayden, our hockey player, brought sunshine into Jesse’s life and made him realize there’s more to life than just working. As for Jesse, our cowboy, I loved how protective he was of Brayden. How him and his ranch was a safe place for Brayden to just breathe after going through it with the media. Plus along with some amazing chemistry, the pair had great communication! Which is always a win in my eyes. This was another fantastic book from Jodi Oliver. I’ll definitely be going back and checking out the rest of the books in this series.

Also a random side note…this was my first cowboy and hockey player romance but I am for sure a fan!

*I received an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.*

[Kaez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75⭐️

oh i LOVEDDDD this!! i wouldn’t expect anything less from jodi oliver though. this was exactly the kind of book i’ve been wanting for months now, it was soooo cute 😍 i’m obsessed with brayden and jesse, they are so sweet and i enjoyed getting to see them navigate their relationship while living apart and with they’re demanding jobs. they also made sure they knew they were important to each other and how much they cared! i highly recommend this 🫶🏻

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5☆
🅢🅟🅘🅒🅔:🌶🌶🌶
🅛🅐🅤🅖🅗🅢:🤣🤣🤣
🅣🅔🅐🅡🅢:🥲
🅜🅒🅢: Brayden, Jesse.
🅟🅞🅥: 1st Dual
🅣🅡🅞🅟🅔🅢: Hockey Player/Cowboy, Grumpy Sunshine, Secret Identity, Age Gap.


Braysen 😘😘😘😘😘😘

[Matthew Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barn Burner by Jodi Oliver is an emotionally thin but pleasantly readable romance that better establishes the sexual chemistry between its main characters than it does their love story. Low angst and low plot are not inherently problems, particularly in a comfort read, but they need to be replaced by strong character work. Here, the characters remain too flat to support the life-altering declarations the novel asks us to believe they are contemplating.

After losing the Stanley Cup, Brayden Nielson retreats into the Alberta wilderness to escape the media backlash surrounding his team’s defeat. His car breaks down on the side of the road, where he is rescued by Jesse Huxley, a gruff cowboy who brings him back to his family’s ranch while the vehicle is repaired. What follows is an instant-lust, near-instant-love romance between two men from very different worlds.

The premise is appealing, and Oliver understands the fantasy she is selling. Brayden gets to escape the pressure of professional hockey and disappear into a quieter life of horses, mountains, family meals, and an attractive cowboy with a dominant streak. Jesse gets a charming, flirtatious younger man who is openly interested in him and undeterred by his demeanour. Their physical chemistry is immediate and convincing.

The problem is that their emotional connection never develops. Brayden and Jesse spend several weeks together, but much of that time passes off-page. We are told they have grown inseparable without being shown enough of the conversations or experiences that would explain why. On the page, they hike, feed horses, see a moose, ride a mechanical bull, and have sex. Then Brayden begins contemplating whether he could walk away from an extremely lucrative hockey career for a man he has known for less than a month. That escalation might have worked if the novel had allowed us to witness the actual falling in love. Instead, it repeatedly gestures towards emotional depth without exploring it.

The sex is easily the strongest element. Oliver offers a genuinely varied mix of playful flirting, praise, cowboy fantasy, and power exchange. The inevitable chaps-and-“ride a cowboy” material arrives exactly as expected. One memorable encounter featuring a CMNM dynamic also teases at erotic objectification, which I was not expecting from this book. Brayden’s response to being praised by Jesse makes sense, given that his confidence has been eroded by the criticism surrounding his performance on the ice. There is something psychologically revealing in how readily he responds to Jesse’s approval after being publicly diminished, although the novel is much more interested in the erotic payoff than unpacking what that might mean for him. That is fairly representative of the book as a whole, it repeatedly brushes up against something resembling character insight, but rarely develops it.

Readers seeking low-angst fluff, affectionate physical intimacy, a dominant cowboy, and a golden retriever hockey player with a praise kink will probably find plenty to enjoy, but this is the weakest Jodi Oliver novel I have read. The Chicago Thunder books gave their characters more internal life and built relationships from more than physical attraction. Here, too much of the emotional development is skipped, summarised, or assumed.

Barn Burner contains the outline of a richer romance, particularly in Jesse’s fear of being left and Brayden’s damaged sense of self after public failure, but it never does the work required to bring those ideas fully onto the page. The result is readable, occasionally hot, and ultimately hollow. It gives us two men who clearly want each other, then asks us to accept that desire as sufficient groundwork for love.

[Boys From The Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love hockey romances. I was unprepared for how much I loved hockey romances, with CHAPS!
Yes, we’re talking hockey player/cowboy. Which by the way, is the perfect combination 🤭

I love Jodi Oliver’s books, she has fast become a favourite author of mine. She knows hockey. So when you’re reading about the MCs falling in love, you also get some really great hockey content too.

Brayden is at the top of his hockey career, but eels defeated after a big loss for his team. He decides getting away from everything is the best idea. When he breaks down in the middle of nowhere Alberta, a gorgeous but grumpy cowboy comes to his rescue.

Jesse seems to be just what Brayden needs to take his mind off things and the best thing is, he has no clue who he is.
The dynamic between these two is electric. Jesse is supportive and swoony. Brayden I’d cute and a little cocky. As their relationship develops, it’s romance novel perfection!
The sweetness is jaw aching, the banter is funny, and the spice is absolute fire! 🔥 (new chaps obsession unlocked!)
I was hooked from the meet cute to the very end. I hope to read more from Huxley Creek Ranch

This is book 3 of the multi author sports series ‘Love the Game’ but can be read as a stand alone. Highly recommended.

Read if you love

Hockey romance
Cowboy romance
Banter and fun
Sweet and swoony
Grumpy/sunshine
Hayloft shenanigans
CHAPS!

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been excited to read Brayden’s story ever since meeting him in Offside Play, and Barn Burner did not disappoint! Not only do we get Brayden, but we also get Jesse. And oh my, Jesse is everything i could ask for in a MC, hot, funny, sweet, understanding… I’m in love.

After the Bobcats lose the Stanley Cup, Brayden needs time to himself. He heads out on a solo camping trip to clear his head, escape the media, disgruntled fans, and his own thoughts. That’s where he meets a grumpy cowboy who doesn’t recognize him. Brayden keeps his identity a secret and ends up spending his offseason helping out on a ranch in the Alberta wilderness.

At first, Jesse comes across as the “grumpy” one, but honestly, he’s the biggest cinnamon roll ever. He stole my heart from his very first growly word, but it’s how he treats Brayden and how he reacts when Brayden’s secret comes out that really did it for me.

I thought I knew where this story was going: secrets, misunderstandings, the inevitable third-act breakup. I braced myself for it, but I was wrong. The author completely surprised me, and I loved it. Sometimes it’s nice when the expected heartbreak never comes.

This was my first Book by Jodi Oliver and I was impressed with her writing style and the character development. I will definitely be reading her other books!

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

(english) hockey player x (canadian) cowboy?! YES PLEASE.
"i have ridden a zamboni, but never a cowboy" was hilarious and, honestly, i was sold!

smut was hot, omg
that breakfast scene? delicious. i had to take a break and talk about it to a friend.

lovely read! it's a pretty fast paced, without much angst. exactly what i needed !

[M's ☆~HEA~☆]

dnf@35% This was just really simple and kinda boring. It looks like I've never read this author before so I don't have anything to compare it to. This book just didn't work for me :)

“Is that what you want? To ride me?” His tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip. “It’s just one of the many things I want to do to you, Jesse.”

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brayden + Jesse

-mm romance
-hockey player x cowboy
-grumpy/sunshine
-secret identity
-age gap

brayden runs away & jesse literally saves him & i loved that whole set up so so much!! these two were absolutely the cutest & it was pretty low angst so it was a perfect palette cleanser read!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Offside Play I could not waittttttt for this one. I needed to know about Brayden and his cowboy so I ran to see if the ARC was available. It was but I wasn't sure if I cut it too close to them sending it out to people so when I opened my kindle after my 1st break to see what book i should start there it was. I squealed so loud because I couldn't wait to read it. Its now 525am and im already finished haha I devoured this book. Im loving these Canadian based books and now im wondering if the rest of the series will be in Calgary too. I love in Ontario and I always love it when Canada is in a book. I always say Canada is one of the most beautiful places you could ever see and I think Jesse's farm and surrounding areas they visit in this book describes it well.

Enjoy everyone

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐
3 🌶️

Brayden and Jesse were a good time. My heart broke for Brayden and the pressures he was under. His sass and playful banter were perfect! Jesse a gentle, grumpy cowboy but also filthy af. I really enjoyed his POVs. His gentleness for animals and patience with Brayden spoke to who he was as a person.

I can confirm. I will never look at maple syrup the same way.

This was the perfect low angst, swoony and sweet read.

WHAT TO EXPECT
🏒 Cowboy x Hockey Player
🐎 Secret Identity
🏒 Age Gap
🐎 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏒 Protective MC
🐎 Low Angst

Cheating: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: Dual POV (First Person POV)

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pure fluff with no angst or drama of any kind. Like a sugary hallmark movie (which is sort of what I was looking for) the sex scenes were hot and they love story cute af. (Unlike Hallmark movies though I am really glad B didn't drop his career and everything to be with his man... they waited it out for 7 years being long distance) but I'm not gonna lie, I got a little teary in the epilogue.

[Ren Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear I have no idea what Jodi puts in her books, but it’s like crack to me. I devoured Barn Burner so quickly, just like all her other books! I could’ve read 10x more about Jesse and Brayden and it still wouldn’t have been enough!

Brayden and Jesse are so freaking adorable, even if Jodi’s right and Jesse would hate being described as ‘adorable’…he’s a grumpy, rugged cowboy, who is also adorable and a complete softie for Brayden. Brayden who literally crashes into Jesse life and turns it the right way up!

I loved their story so much, it’s spicier than any of Jodi’s other books with an instant attraction between the NHL player and the rugged cowboy.

Wanting to escape the loss of the Stanley Cup final, Brayden takes himself off for a road trip into Alberta and ends up braking down on the side of the road where he’s rescued by Jesse. Taking him back to his family’s ranch, Jesse give Brayden the opportunity to work through the loss. Made even easier when he realises that nobody recognises him.

Brayden and Jesse’s instant chemistry starts an almost FWB situation knowing it’s temporary while Brayden stuck there until his car is fixed.

I loved how their relationship played out, the softness that Jesse had for Brayden, while also taming the bratty side. And how Brayden was the perfect person to get Jesse to open up and let in.

As always, Jodi has a knack for writing the most amazing side characters and found family, and the Huxley family are no different. I need more of Jesse’s brothers Rhett and Cooper, and although they’re not in the same universe, all I could think of was the chaos that Cooper and Elliot could cause if they ever met 😂